Around Town, July 24-31

Send notes to the Connection at south@connectionnewspapers.com or call 703-917-6459. Deadline is Friday. Dated announcements should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the event.

Local Hair Cuttery salons launch the ninth annual Share A Haircut program to provide a fresh haircut to children starting the new school year. From Aug. 1 through Aug. 15, every time a child 18 or younger receives a haircut at a local Hair Cuttery salon, a free haircut will be provided to a disadvantaged child in the community. Through partnerships with local service agencies and non-profit organizations, Hair Cuttery has donated more than 380,000 haircuts since the program’s inception in 1999, always giving back to children in the same community where the salon is located. Hair Cuttery also supports Locks of Love, a non-profit organization providing hairpieces to children who have lost their hair through illness or genetic conditions, and a range of national and local charitable organizations.

The City of Fairfax Parks & Recreation Department has partnered with Activenet to create a new online "office." This will allow online registration for classes and trips, and facility rental inquiries. Online registration will be provided at the same fee as in office. To learn more, visit www.visitfairfax.gov, Parks & Recreation.

CUE Bus now accepts SmarTrip cards. The plastic cards are sold by Metro for Metrorail and MetroBus fares and Metrorail parking lot payments. Fares are automatically deducted from the card, with no need for tickets or change. For information, visit www.wmata.com/riding/smartrip.cfm or call 888-SMARTRIP.

The Women's Center offers career services. For more information, visit www.thewomenscenter.org.

The Green Acres building has new office hours: Monday-Thursday from 8:30a.m.-5 p.m. The building is still open Friday. For more see www@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-385-7858.

Until September, Master Gardeners are available to answer gardening-related questions at local farmers' markets and public libraries in Fairfax County. Bring plant samples and questions. Free. For information see www.co.fairfax.va.us/parks/farm-mkt.htm. Locations are:

TaxiAccess is a new transportation service that is available to Fairfax County residents with disabilities. TaxiAccess provides subsidized taxi transportation service to county residents who are currently registered users of MetroAccess. Users may purchase up to eight coupon booklets per year for $10 each. To apply for the program, contact the Fairfax County Department of Transportation at 703-324-1172, TTY 711 Monday-Friday, between 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For more, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/taxiaccess.htm.

The Fairfax Public Law Library, located on the first floor of the new Fairfax County Courthouse, has extended hours. Located at 4110 Chain Bridge Road #308, Fairfax, the Public Law Library will be open Mondays and Thursdays until 8 p.m. and will continue its normal hours of 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. For more call 703-246-2170 or e-mail liblawlibrary@fairfaxcounty.gov.

Franconia Museum, located in the Franconia Government Center building at 6121 Franconia Road, Franconia, is open Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Members of the Board of Directors staff the museum and are on hand to take questions and discuss local history. The Franconia Museum is a private, non-profit local history museum dedicated to preserving the past, present and future of the Franconia area in pictures, artifacts and stories. On Wednesdays, Jac Walker is on hand to help Franconia residents begin writing their personal story of growing up in the area.

The Fairfax County Park Authority has trail maps illuminating the network of over 200 miles of trails throughout the county. Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/trailsframe.htm to download maps of the nationally recognized Cross County Trail and other popular stream valley trails. The maps show the nearest points to access a trail, the location of stream crossings, and provide trail descriptions and distances.

The Greater Chesapeake and Potomac (GC&P) Region of the American Red Cross reports a declining blood supply and low appointment rates. All eligible donors are invited to schedule a donation appointment at any blood drive or donor center, by calling 1-800-GIVE-LIFE. Platelet donors can call 1-800-272-2123 to schedule an appointment. Additional listings can be found at www.my-redcross.org or by calling 1-800-GIVE LIFE (1-800-448-3543).

The Fairfax County Park Authority and Fairfax County Animal Shelter offer discounted dog-training courses to those who adopt a dog from the county shelter. Adoptive families who attend a Park Authority workshop receive a coupon for half-off tuition for the Park Authority Obedience I or Puppy Kindergarten class. Conditional upon completion of the course. For more about dogs available for adoption, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/animalservices or call 703-830-1100. For more about FCPA dog training classes, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks.

Northern Virginia callers may now dial 2-1-1 to receive information and referrals for local health and human services. CrisisLink, which provides regional hotlines, will answer 2-1-1 daily, from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m., or residents may call the City of Fairfax’s human services coordinator weekdays, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding holidays, at 703-385-7894.